Post by Floyd on May 30, 2009 6:44:46 GMT -9

I can send the completed files to you Mel. Though I don't see any reason to make extra work for you guys with the added shadowing and detail. I have your set already printed as well. And they look good on the GC tiles as is. That said, if you so choose to release them that is fine with me. I do not wish to receive any of the profits from this set. But if you wanna put my name in somewhere cool!

I need to add the beveling and texture effects to the 2 other Stalker models then I'll send the files to you.

In the meant time here is that animated GIF demonstrating the steps I took to create the marine detail.

BTW Quit teasing us with cool play mats and storage compartments!

~F

The work was done in Photoshop on 5 layers.

1. Background, containing the source image

2. Shadow Layer. I blocked out the areas to be shadowed. Using the brush tool. Then Gaussian Blurred(3.8pix). Then I added extra shadowing detailing with the Brush tool set on Multiply and pressure at 40%. The layer was then set to Multiply and I dropped the opacity to 74%.

3. Highlight Layer. I blocked in the major highlights with White. Blurred as above. Then set the layer to Overlay and dropped the opacity to taste. I think it was 68% for this one.

4. Detail & Scuffs. I added some chipped paint and some random highlights (to taste) on the helmet, shoulder pads(of some of the marines), backs, boots, etc. Just for some visual interest. It was done much light the highlights above. But little to no blur. And the opacity was only dropped to around 70.

4. Gun. Here is where I made the beveling effect(using Layer Styles) and a very shallow butsharp edge. And added a drop shadow & a grey/green gradient overlay.

Post by squirmydad on May 30, 2009 7:23:38 GMT -9

Very cool, and simpler than I thought. It's much the same way I build up texture and shading on my stuff, but only the bigger stuff.

Can you put a copy of this in the Photoshop tips section? I am hoping to fill up the design and drawing tutorial and tips boards. This way newcomers will have somewhere to see how these are all made.

I'll be doing a new version of my Ghoul tutorial as well.

I really have no problem adding these sets to the store and site, I just want to do then when I'm finishing one of my own as well. This makes it easier for me to work them in. I really want to see more high quality recolors to add to store, I might even do a few of my own.JIM

Post by Floyd on Jun 1, 2009 11:46:24 GMT -9

ok.

FThe last four of the the Special Weapon soldiers to go then I am done.. The Stakers & basic weapons are all finished. I'll have them off my desk tomorrow. Here is a sample of the Special Weapons crew.

Post by squirmydad on Jun 1, 2009 14:27:18 GMT -9

Floyd seems to be stuck in a time continuum!

I just realized that the figs are different from Mels stuff, so it would be pointless to add them to the products page... Sometime I do actually pay attention to stuff, I am just a little slow to catch to EXACTLY what I'm paying attention too.

Post by squirmydad on Jun 1, 2009 18:47:09 GMT -9

I think we are taking about two different things. I was wanting to use your cool vignette graphics above on the product pages for Mels current figures. But they are different from what's in Mels figures sets.

Did you recolor the whole sets? It sounds like you have, and I admit to not paying too close of attention to other things right now.... I'll just wait for you to let me know when you got something for me...JIM

Post by Dagger on Jun 1, 2009 18:51:41 GMT -9

Yeah, I'm confused too... I just want to know how I'm going to get my grubby little hands on these Jim/Mel/Floyd collaborations... I'd also really like to know if we can twist Mel and Floyd's arms to get them to give the same treatment to the TerraForce Marines...(GriN)

Post by Christopher Roe on Jun 1, 2009 19:43:01 GMT -9

I thought about it, but the armored marines look too "hard" for the Stalkers to deal with in a realistic manner, and I calibrated their Guncrawl stats to work well against the regular soldiers, which are in soft/firm armor.

I might pair them up with the Slashers, but that depends on whether or not the Slashers have a full set of claws instead of the claw/bioweapon combo shown in the product photos. (I prefer not to use ranged bioweapons for bestial aliens.)

Post by Christopher Roe on Jun 1, 2009 20:38:56 GMT -9

I didn't change anything--I colored them exactly as they were laid out on the sheet. I noticed the difference in tab heights too, but I figured it was simply a matter of Jim deciding to use taller tabs on later releases.

Post by squirmydad on Jun 2, 2009 17:24:14 GMT -9

Floyd, Now I'm seriously confused???

What was the purpose of making the cool graphics? I thought it was because you were going to make "enhanced" versions of Mels textures?

If you have no plans to make full modified sets, I'd still be happy to use them on the store pages. I just wasn't sure why you created them, for fun? That's cool, I just figured I would try to put them to good use, no sense wasting such cool graphics. I would need them optimized at 500 pixels wide.

Post by Floyd on Jun 2, 2009 18:47:54 GMT -9

Oh no Jim, I am almost done with Mel's recolors of your Terra Force soldiers & hybrid stalkers.. I have a couple of backsides to finish on the special weapons crew then test print again. . I thought that I would be done today. But I had my sons baseballgames all week after work.

Now, the backgrounds I placed my enhanced versions on is a mix of Mel's old Guncrawl rulebook cover, one of the corridor tiles. The wall texture is from his Objective landing platform. And that I just did for fun.He may have new artwork or something more specific to use for an advert for the set. He may even be doing his own photos with the recolors of your figures for the coming release of Guncrawl Lite.

So, I'll send the 1st set when done to Mel. Whom has something he wanted to add. ANd I imagine he'll send it to you. I'll pick up the Auxillary set and get those done too.

Post by squirmydad on Jun 4, 2009 7:05:49 GMT -9

I'll try to keep the stuff in my style so they are not a total rip off of the movie designs, although they are...

I do plan an eventual redesign and update of the whole Hybrid army designs, but will do it in a way that the current designs are still useful. I feel the current designs are a little too chunky, and will make the new ones a little more lean and organic looking. Also, all the new stuff will be 2D, at least until all the regular figures are released, then the 2.5 and 3D stuff.

I do have some rough designs for the Hybrid done, I just want to clean them one more time before putting them up for comment.JIM

Post by kane on Jun 4, 2009 8:24:38 GMT -9

I'll try to keep the stuff in my style so they are not a total rip off of the movie designs, although they are...

I do plan an eventual redesign and update of the whole Hybrid army designs, but will do it in a way that the current designs are still useful. I feel the current designs are a little too chunky, and will make the new ones a little more lean and organic looking. Also, all the new stuff will be 2D, at least until all the regular figures are released, then the 2.5 and 3D stuff.

I do have some rough designs for the Hybrid done, I just want to clean them one more time before putting them up for comment.JIM

Pulling a GW on us, huh, Jim? Gotta make everything all fancy and...better. Oh who am I kidding. Can't wait to see the redesigns.

Post by squirmydad on Jun 4, 2009 8:51:54 GMT -9

Pulling a GW on us, huh, Jim? Gotta make everything all fancy and...better. Oh who am I kidding. Can't wait to see the redesigns.

*Yep! I forgot, the sets will also come with half the figures, and be double the price. The cost of pizza to keep the artist going has gone up in price, but don't worry, other prices may be lower (not likely). ;D

Shoutbox

cowboyleland: Now I have seen it. It doesn't advance our hobby, but anyone with half a brain who wanted 2nd rate figures could easily figure this out for themselves so I guess he isn't doing any harm.Mar 19, 2019 17:53:59 GMT -9

berneart76: well, this is fun, (not) transferring all my papercrafting sets into the cloud. The stuff I got from DriveTrhruRPG was simple with their library desktop app,but my other stuff, sometimes with multiple duplicate copies is entertaining.Mar 1, 2019 15:44:32 GMT -9

berneart76: Vermin King I usually use a mix of drybrush/watercolor/photocopy and occasionally posterizing at different levels of opacity.Feb 26, 2019 20:46:54 GMT -9

berneart76: Vermin King, that's similar to the enhancing that I do on my texturing. I've found that sometimes I need to scale up or scale down the image (usually by 50 or 25 percent down or 200 or 300 percent up) to make get the enhancements to look "right"Feb 26, 2019 20:44:53 GMT -9

Vermin King: On the zebras, I did multiple enhancements and cartoon filters and used them at 100%, and they still didn't look that different than the photosFeb 26, 2019 12:27:26 GMT -9

Vermin King: When I make a figure or terrain piece based on a photo, I clean it up and align things to look 'right', then I create another layer and do enhancing and cartoonizing on it. I then adjust opacity over the photo image until it looks good. On the zebras, Feb 26, 2019 12:26:35 GMT -9

Vermin King: berneart76, do you mean giving them green or purple manes and tails? and a few piercings? maybe a cig hanging out of their mouths?Feb 26, 2019 12:24:18 GMT -9

Vermin King: And due to the snow, I'm off tonight. I am going to miss the cash on the paycheck, but I'm glad they want their employees to be safeFeb 15, 2019 10:52:24 GMT -9

ignatious: Actually I was referring to the two previous posts. I was trying to be subtle in order to sublimate the crassness. Read them again, but in Mel Brooks voice while he is winking, and nudging the person to his right.Feb 9, 2019 13:38:11 GMT -9

cowboyleland: We hadn't had snow for a few days. Last night the plow came down my street and did nothing but fill every ones driveways back in. Just for practice, I guess.Feb 8, 2019 7:48:16 GMT -9

Vermin King: In KC we had an ice storm (with thunder sleet) the other night. Left things drivable, but last night the plow came down my street. They took all the rough edges off. Might as well have ran a Zamboni...Feb 8, 2019 6:42:32 GMT -9